Wheel Alignments: What Are They & Why You Need One

Here at Master Tech Automotive, we have a brand new Bosch alignment machine with the newest innovations in alignment technology. Our machine has 6 cameras which check 6 different angles on your wheels. Most alignment machines only have 4. It has the latest computerized technology so you can be assured your car is getting the best alignment in town. But what does all this mean?

Sometimes customers are confused about wheel alignments. It’s an easy thing to be confused about- wheels are aligned to your car in three different ways and even people with more advanced automotive knowledge can get a little foggy about the three ways wheels are aligned.

So, what is a wheel alignment and what are the three ways wheels are aligned to your car? A wheel alignment, put simply, is making adjustments to the car’s wheels so the wheels are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. What are the three ways your wheels are aligned to your car? Here’s an explanation:

Camber: Camber is the angle of the wheel when viewed from the front of the car. If the top of the wheel is leaning away from the center of the car, that’s called positive camber. If it’s leaning toward the center of the car, that’s called negative camber.

Caster: Caster is the angle to which the steering pivot axis is tilted forward or rearward from vertical, as viewed from the side. Consider a shopping cart. Their wheels are on casters. If the casters do not align, what happens? The cart drives oddly and you spend a good 2 minutes considering whether it’s worth the time to go back to the cart area and get a new cart. Your car’s caster setting is similar to the shopping cart.

Toe: Toe refers to whether or not the tires are parallel to each other. If the tires point toward each other, it’s called “toe-in” and if they point away from each other, it’s called “toe-out.”

Caster and camber are not easily adjustable on most modern front wheel drive vehicles. Often if the caster or camber is seriously out of line, this means some part of the suspension is bent or broken and need to be replaced. Toe is the setting most commonly adjusted with a wheel alignment.

What a wheel alignment will do:

• If your car is pulling to one side, an alignment can normally fix that. Occasionally other problems cause your car to pull to one side, such as incorrect tire pressure adjustment, certain types of brake issues, and some suspension issues.
• It will help ensure you get the best amount of wear time on your tires. Improper wheel alignment can cause a multitude of tire issues, especially uneven wear and “spots”.

What a wheel alignment will not do:

• Fix a vibration in your car. Wheel balancing issues, tire wear, certain brake problems and certain suspension problems can cause vibrations in your car.

Making sure your wheels are in good alignment can make a major difference in how long your tires last. Tires are expensive- taking care of them is an essential way to save money. Come in today and get an alignment for your car!

Tagged as: